


The Hereafter

by PsychoticEvolution



Category: Star Trek: Picard, Star Trek: The Next Generation
Genre: Multi, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Possibly Unrequited Love, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-28
Updated: 2020-10-28
Packaged: 2021-03-08 20:43:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,638
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27172624
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PsychoticEvolution/pseuds/PsychoticEvolution
Summary: When a mysterious boy comes to visit Picard and his former bridge crew on an old pal’s behalf, Picard is thrown into a situation where past enemies become new friends, opening Picard’s eyes to new aspects of friendship and love. Now reunited with his bridge crew, an old enemy turned friend, and with the help of this mysterious boy, Picard is spending his old age learning new lessons and creating new bonds.
Relationships: Jean-Luc Picard & Q, Jean-Luc Picard/Q, William Riker/Deanna Troi
Kudos: 6





	1. Prologue: A Message in a Bottle

**Author's Note:**

> Set 2 years after the events of ST: Picard (you don’t need to watch it to follow this story but there are brief references to characters/plot points in Picard).
> 
> A comprehensive arc with slice-of-life fillers (as in it’s a connecting story with a few fluffy chapters in between big plot points). Either Qcard slowburn or Qcard unrequited, I haven’t decided yet, but stay tuned to find out!

_Dear Q,_

_This letter serves as your official notification from the Q Continuum that your privilege of being a member of this species has been revoked. You are receiving this notification because your behavior is contrary and disruptive to the orderly conduct of Continuum business, as defined by your brothers and sisters of the Continuum._

_This decision can not be appealed._

_Good Luck,_

_The Q Continuum_

* * *

“You have got to be kidding me,” he read through the letter one more time, “my privilege...has been REVOKED?!” 

The bottle shattered as it hit the rock beside him, bits and pieces of the letter made their way next to the glass shards, his breathing became ragged as the tenseness in his body flowed towards his fists, clenching and unclenching, trying to find something to release his anger upon. A star to explode, a planet to wreak havoc on, even just a tree to set on fire.

But nothing happened.

No matter how much he tried, nothing happened. 

“AGAIN?! THEY’RE GOING TO TURN ME HUMAN AGAIN?!”

He stomped on the shards of glass, causing them to break into tinier pieces. 

It hurt.

He’d have to get used to that. 

An animalistic growl escaped him, filled with pure, heated anger, followed by an uncharacteristic “FUCK!”

“Hey take it easy, big guy,” teased a snarky disembodied voice.

“What the FUCK do you want?!”

“I said take it easy, I’m here to help.”

“Help? Like you helped last time? Because I would really appreciate--”

“Aha no, sorry, buddy. I was just sent to explain some stuff to you.”

“Explain what stuff?”

“Yeah, so good news and bad news. Good news, you’re not human. Not really, at least.”

“But I just tried using my powers and they didn’t--”

“Oh you definitely don’t have your powers but here’s the deal, the Continuum didn’t really appreciate that stunt you pulled the last time they punished you. That whole self-sacrifice thing, that’s not gonna fly this time.”

“What do you mean?”

“Right so the bad news…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I will try to update regularly but it might be a while since I want to be a few chapters ahead before I can.


	2. Dorian

_20 years later…_

Picard settled onto the armchair with a groan. He felt uncomfortably old. He had only spent maybe an hour walking through the vineyard and felt incredibly exhausted, Number One hadn’t even started panting yet. He felt a pang of guilt having to cut Number One’s walk a little short today.

“I know that look,” Laris came in with some fresh tea and a croissant, “You’re all long-faced because you feel old, hm?”

Picard smiled slightly, “I am old.”

“You have a good many years left. Now have some tea.”

“I think I’ll take a nap actually.”

“A nap? At this hour?”

“The walk tired me out,” _much more than I care to think about,_ Picard noted in his mind.

Laris observed him a moment before thoughtfully pursing her lips, “Been sleeping well?”

Picard took a piece of the croissant and nibbled it, he wasn’t very hungry but he also hadn’t eaten breakfast yet.

“I’ve been having nightmares,” he said after a few more nibbles, “Insomnia as well. Did you know that we have a leaky faucet in the upstairs bathroom?”

“Oh? I’ll tell Zahban to go fix it.”

“Thank you,” Picard muttered as he nibbled on the last bit of croissant.

Laris eyed him, “Do you want me to call your therapist? When was the last time you talked to her?”

Picard quickly turned his gaze to the window, his thumbs twiddling, “Since before I left with Dahj.”

“Two years ago?! Oh no, that absolutely won’t do! You need to call her, and I expect you to do it before the end of the day.”

“Laris--”

“No. No arguing. Go on and give her a call. I’m gonna go tend to the vineyard and when I come back I expect you to have made an appointment.”

Picard opened his mouth to protest but Laris quickly fled the room, grumbling about stubborn old men on her way out. Picard chuckled softly. She was right, of course. It had been far too long since he last spoke to his therapist, and he certainly had plenty to talk about. He hadn’t really discussed how he felt about his whole adventure two years ago, particularly his becoming an android, albeit the most human android to date. He sometimes had dreams of someone coming up behind him and pressing his back to turn him off, similar to Data’s off switch. He tried not to think about it much, he really had no idea if he had an off switch on his back or anywhere else on his body. He didn’t ask. He hadn’t actually talked much to Soong since finding him on Coppelius, he really only seemed to want to be bothered by Picard if he had any issues with his new body. He kept in contact with Rios and Raffi every now and then. Raffi was back home and he was happy to see her slowly become sober and find a therapist to talk to, she had been sober for close to a year now. He would have to remember to send her a gift, perhaps a certificate to a Risan spa. She and Seven might enjoy going together. Rios still had his ship and was transporting cargo for Starfleet every now and then. Dr. Jurati joined him sometimes, apparently keeping an open and casual relationship with him as she was still passionate about her work on Earth. Starfleet had become just a tad more open about allowing research on synthetic lifeforms but still not enough to allow her to attempt to create her own, still not enough to allow her to reactivate B4. Nowhere near enough for him to tell them what he was.

His thoughts were interrupted by a knock at the door. “I got it,” he called instinctively, although he realized that neither Laris nor Zahban were in the house. He opened the door and there stood a young boy. He had loose curly hair, soft and fluffy, big brown eyes, and he was probably no taller than 5’5”. 

“Are you Jean-Luc Picard?” his voice was childlike but not high-pitched, Picard noted, he seemed rather animated. The boy reminded him of a cartoon character. _He’s probably no more than fifteen,_ Picard thought.

“Yes, I am, and you are?”

“Dorian,” he smiled, his expression bubbly as he twiddled with his fingers behind his back, “I was told you owned the vineyard. I was hoping to talk to you.”

“Yes, I do. I’d be happy to talk although aren’t you rather young to be interested in viticulture?”

“I’m 18,” Dorian replied flatly, a sudden change from his cheerful demeanor a moment ago.

 _Okay, so he is older than fifteen._ Picard smiled politely, “Well, Dorian, please come inside.”

“Thank you,” he smiled brightly again. _His mood changes rather quickly,_ Picard thought as Dorian continued, “but I was actually hoping we could go for a walk.”

Picard inwardly groaned, “I've actually just come from a walk, I’m rather tired. Perhaps I could prepare some tea?”

Dorian kept steady eye contact with Picard, his expression was blank but not at all unnerving. “Okay,” he said after a moment. 

Dorian pushed past Picard into the house, looking around curiously before turning back to a rather confused but not yet annoyed Picard who led him into the kitchen. Normally this type of bubbly personality mixed with a disregard for manners would bother Picard but this boy just seemed so genuine. He prepared two cups of tea and a little cup of sugar on a small tray, setting it down on the kitchenette where Dorian sat quietly. He seemed lost in thought, staring off into space, although he had a hint of a blank smile on his face. Picard took the seat opposite him though he still didn’t move, he then noisily stirred sugar into his tea. Dorian quickly turned towards Picard, a beaming smile now on his face.

“So the vineyard,” Picard began, “Why the interest?”

“Oh, well, it just seems...interesting.” 

Picard waited for Dorian to continue but instead, he just took a sip of his tea. He made an odd face and Picard pushed the cup of sugar towards him. He grabbed the spoon and continuously poured spoonfuls of sugar into the tea. After the fifth one, Picard cleared his throat.

“What did you want to talk about exactly?” Picard questioned, taking the spoon away from Dorian and handing him a stirring stick. Dorian began stirring his tea thoughtfully, he took another sip and smiled. 

“Do you have any sweets?” he asked expectantly, completely ignoring Picard’s question.

Picard sighed but got up and grabbed a slice of cake, it was a Romulan cake that Zahban made the day before. He set it down in front of Dorian who happily ate a large spoonful.

“Thank you,” he muffled around a full mouth, “Sorry, what did you ask me before?”

“What did you want to talk about?”

“Oh, right! Tell me about your vineyard.”

Picard eyed Dorian curiously. _He’s clearly making this up as he goes,_ he thought, _he’s not here for the vineyard._ “I inherited it after my brother died many years ago. I decided to retire here.”

“Retire from what?” Dorian asked, shoving another spoonful of cake into his mouth.

“Starfleet.”

Dorian stopped eating for a moment, his spoon pausing mid-air, “Starfleet?” Picard nodded in response. Dorian eyed him, his expression unreadable, but he quickly began eating his cake again, “Tell me about that.”

“About Starfleet?”

“What did you do in Starfleet?”

“Many things.”

“Were you a captain?”

Picard smiled, “Oh yes.”

“What was your favorite ship to be on?”

“The Enterprise.”

“The Enterprise?”

“A truly amazing ship. Galaxy-class, built for exploration.”

“Did you meet lots of aliens?”

Picard chuckled, “First contact was common on the Enterprise.”

“What was the most interesting species you encountered?”

Picard thought for a moment, “The Borg.”

“Really? Why?” Dorian’s plate was now empty, Picard noted the crumbs around his mouth and offered a napkin. He took it happily.

“They did the most damage,” Picard shrugged.

The boy stared at Picard. “Interesting,” he said softly, “Well I heard about this species called the Q? Did you ever meet them?”

Picard was not exactly shocked to hear the boy mention the Q but it certainly came as a surprise. He hadn’t thought about Q in years, in that moment he wondered briefly what Q was doing. _He probably got bored of me once I left the Enterprise,_ Picard thought, almost saddened by the notion, _Mon Dieu, it’s been more than 20 years since I saw him last._

“I did, yes,” Picard answered finally, “Only one Q. He was a rather...interesting character.”

“Did you like him?”

Picard snorted, “He was actually a bit of a pest. Had a terrible habit of interrupting me at the worst moments. Although, if I’m being honest, I would never describe my interactions with him as lacking excitement. Looking back, I can say they were actually rather fun, although in the moment he was nothing but a nuisance to me.”

Dorian hummed in response, “You don’t seem all that stuffy.”

“I beg your pardon?”

“Oh nothing,” Dorian waved his hand, “Just a friend told me you were a bit uptight but you seem like a cool cat to me.”

“A what?”

“A cool cat,” Dorian repeated, “Are you looking for an extra hand around here? I’d love to work in the vineyards if I could.”

This entire interaction had certainly baffled Picard but he had to admit this child did pique his interest, “I prefer to tie the vines by hand. If you like you can do that.”

“Sounds good to me!” Dorian beamed, “I’ll be back bright and early tomorrow!” He jumped up from his seat and grabbed Picard’s hand, giving him a vigorous handshake before running out the door. And just as quickly as this boy had come into Picard’s life, he had gone.

 _Although I’ll see him tomorrow, I suppose,_ Picard took a tentative sip of his tea, _I definitely need a nap now._

* * *

A loud knock woke Picard up. He turned towards his alarm clock. Bright and early, just as Dorian said. He sighed, tossing the sheets aside. He heard muffled voices and then a very excited “Dorian! I’m here to tie vines!” Picard laughed, Laris and Zahban were sure to be intrigued by Dorian’s incredibly chipper attitude. He heard Laris call for him and he made his way downstairs.

“Good morning, Dorian,” Picard smiled, “How are you today?”

“Fine,” he responded, “Will you be joining me in my vine tying?”

Picard still felt rather tired but he enjoyed the thought of getting to know more about this boy, his demeanor reminded him of Elnor. An air of innocence yet something dangerous hidden underneath, but Picard didn’t fear him at all, the exact opposite, he was drawn to him. To his genuine yet mysterious nature.

“Yes,” he said finally, “let me just go change into more appropriate attire.” He looked down at Dorian’s olive green pants and white linen shirt. _A bit overdressed_ , although Picard also noted the stains on his boots and pants, _well he’s already got it dirty, I suppose._ Picard smiled then ran back up upstairs, changing into a comfortable pair of pants and a light t-shirt as well as his work boots and his trusty hat. He came back downstairs, Dorian wasn’t there but he heard a ruckus in the kitchen. He walked in to find the boy rummaging through the fridge.

“What are you looking for?”

“More cake,” Dorian answered simply, biting into a popsicle.

“It’s far too early to be eating sweets, Dorian,” Picard grabbed the popsicle from the boy’s hand, “which especially includes ice cream.”

Dorian frowned, his eyes pleading for his popsicle back. Picard genuinely almost gave in but successfully tossed the popsicle away and grabbed a warm croissant instead, “Here. Why don’t you eat this instead? It’s a better breakfast.”

“Okie dokie,” Dorian happily munched away at the croissant as Picard made his morning tea and nibbled on half a croissant himself. After he felt a little more rejuvenated, he made his way to the vineyard, Dorian following close behind. Picard grabbed a basket of ties and handed some to him. 

“Tell me more about the Enterprise,” he said as he began tying, “Tell me about the people you worked with.”

Picard smiled fondly, “I was very close to my bridge crew. We often talk still, although we rarely get to see each other in person anymore. They all live so far, they’re all so busy now,” his smile fell momentarily but he quickly regained it, “My first officer was a man named Willian T. Riker. He was rather cheeky but he was a fine first officer, the best in the fleet. Then there was my chief of security, Mr. Worf. A bit on the grumpy side but he was an honorable man. Geordi LaForge, my chief of engineering. He knew that ship inside and out. Deanna Troi, now Deanna Riker, a half Betazoid. She was the ship’s counselor, she helped me through many hard times, despite my stubbornness. Dr. Beverly Crusher, probably my closest friend on the Enterprise. And then there was Data,” Picard sighed, “He was a fine officer and a good friend.”

“Why did you say it like that?”

“Like what?”

“All sad-like.”

“Data died.”

“Oh...do you miss him?”

“I miss him very much.”

Dorian watched Picard closely as they both continued to tie vines. They continued to chat about idle things, Picard was happy to tell stories about the Enterprise and their adventures. He enjoyed reminiscing to a captive audience. Dorian took in every word with excitement. Picard was in the middle of discussing his encounters with the Borg when Dorian interrupted his storytelling.

“Does it still affect you? Your time with the Borg, I mean.”

“Not as much as it used to,” Picard began walking back towards the house, “I sometimes have nightmares.”

“Have you had any recently?”

Picard hesitated, he wasn’t sure if he should be discussing his feelings with Dorian, he was practically a stranger after all. Yet something about his openness and desire to listen goaded Picard into answering honestly, ”Yes. Quite a bit, actually.”

“Maybe you won’t have any tonight,” Dorian smiled as they reached the door, “I should get going. I’ll come by tomorrow.”

“I don’t have any more vines for you to tie,” Picard immediately regretted those words, he wanted Dorian to come back, he enjoyed talking to him. _A bit irrational, Jean-Luc,_ he told himself, _It’s probably the loneliness talking._

“I’ll come by anyways.”

Picard nodded and went inside, he set down his basket and went to the window to see if Dorian had started walking back. He realized that he never asked Dorian where he lived, it was actually rather odd for him to be so far in the French countryside. There weren’t many houses near him and he knew all the occupants of the houses that did surround the vineyard. He opened the blinds but Dorian was gone. He moved to see into the rows but Dorian was not there, he had completely vanished it seemed. Picard didn’t think the boy could be any more of a mystery. 

Later during lunch, he briefly mentioned his time with Dorian, and Laris and Zhaban both mentioned how he seemed far too chipper that early in the morning. _Good_ , Picard thought, _I didn’t imagine him then._

Picard went about his day as he normally would from that point. He fell asleep easily that night, his dreams pleasant and warm. He woke up feeling refreshed and far less exhausted than he had been the past few weeks. It seemed that Dorian was right, he wouldn’t have any nightmares that night.

* * *

Things continued on like that for a few months. Dorian would come by and would gladly oblige to do little tasks needed around the vineyard and even around the house, every time asking Picard to tell him a new story. Picard happily provided him with all kinds of stories. He looked back on all these memories fondly but a part of retelling them made him feel a bit old. He knew he was old but he just disliked being reminded of it. He tried asking questions about Dorian, about his family, his home, his education, but the boy continuously brushed him off or gave vague responses.

“Why don’t you tell me about your family, Dorian?” Picard would ask.

“I have lots of brothers and sisters,” he shrugged, “My mom was in Starfleet for a bit actually. Just the academy.”

“What year?”

“Can I have some lemonade?” Picard didn’t press.

“Do you live around the vineyard?” Picard would ask.

“Sometimes,” Dorian would respond simply. Picard didn’t press.

“Are you in school?” Picard would ask.

“Oh I don’t need school,” was all he responded with. Picard didn’t press.

As Dorian spent more time with Picard, he realized he sometimes reminded him just slightly of someone but who, he couldn’t quite remember. Sometimes he would give him a certain look, a smirk with a mischievous glint in his eye. Sometimes he would retort Picard’s question with sarcasm or an unknowingly cruel answer. Picard almost spit out his tea the first time this happened, when he asked the boy if he had nightmares after they had discussed some of the things Picard dreamt about.

“I’ve never had anything happen to me like what happened to you with the Borg,” Dorian responded, “I wouldn’t let that happen to me,” he thought for a moment, “maybe if you fought harder you could have saved yourself.”

Picard was taken aback but as he watched Dorian continue to do the dishes without a care in the world, he realized that he had no idea how brutal his words were. He decided not to be upset at Dorian but wasn’t sure how to explain to him that he shouldn’t speak to people that way.

“Do you know how to make bread?” Dorian asked after a moment, releasing Picard from his thoughts.

“Zhaban does, did you want to learn?”

“Yes, please.”

Picard smiled, “I’ll go fetch him then, we can have bread with our tea later.”

It irked Picard how much he simply agreed to Dorian’s whims. _He’s not hurting anybody,_ Picard sighed, _I really am lonely, aren’t I?_

* * *

_Beep._

Picard groaned, his head pounded a little. _I drank far too much wine last night,_ he pushed his sheets off, _I hope Dorian got home safe._ Picard recalled how the boy staggered out the door with a flush face, insisting he was fine to walk home.

_Beep._

Picard finally hopped out of bed, putting on a comfortable robe over his pajamas. He moved towards his desk where he saw his computer monitor lighting up with an incoming transmission.

“On screen.”

Riker’s happy face popped up on the screen, “Jean-Luc!”

“Will!” he responded, delightfully surprised, “How are you?”

“I’m doing well. I just planted a few guava trees.”

“Guava? I didn’t know you ate guava.”

“I don’t really but Deanna tried one on our recent trip to the city, they had an Earth fruit market, and ever since she’s been begging me to plant a tree.”

“Ah, I see,” Picard smirked, “Well to what do I owe the pleasure of this call?”

“Well Kestra’s school is planning a trip to the Croesta and Livis systems, they’re both having interplanetary cultural ceremonies. She’ll be leaving next week, I was wondering if you wanted to come by and stay for a bit, maybe a week or so.”

Picard thought for a moment, “Wouldn’t you and Deanna prefer to have some alone time?”

Riker smiled, “We invited Geordi and Worf, too.”

“And Beverly?”

“We’ve been trying to communicate with her but she’s been busy at Starfleet HQ. I’ll invite her if I can reach her.”

Picard pulled down on his shirt instinctively, taking a deep breath, “What did Geordi and Worf say?”

“Geordi is coming, Worf is gonna let me know by the end of the day,” Riker gave him the most charming smile he could muster, “What do you say, Jean-Luc?”

Picard couldn’t help his smile in return, “Alright. Why not? I think it’ll be good to get away from the vineyard for a bit.”

“That’s the spirit.”

“Maybe try a guava fruit,” Picard smirked.

Riker let out a hearty laugh, “Hopefully they’ll be ready by then. I heard the USS Muse is passing by, I can arrange for them to pick you up.”

Picard nodded, “Yes, thank you, Will.”

“Great. I’ll see you next week, Jean-Luc.”

Picard smiled one last time before ending the transmission, he felt just a tad bit giddy. He hadn’t seen Will and Deanna since escaping the Artifact, and he certainly hadn't seen Worf or Geordi in years.

And Beverly even longer than that.

 _I wonder how she’s been,_ Picard moved back towards his bed, throwing his robe on the armchair as he passed by it, _I wonder if she’s seeing anyone._

He chuckled, “I’m far too old for that.” He got back into bed and decided he’d continue sleeping. The day was still early and he didn’t have much to do.

He dreamt of the Enterprise for the rest of his sleep.

* * *

Will woke up to the sound of glass clinking together. He yawned loudly, turning over and feeling the empty bed space next to him. It was cold which meant Deanna had been up for a while. He threw the sheets off and slipped his feet into his loafers, yawning again as he rubbed his eyes. He made his way downstairs, following the sound of cleaning to the living room.

“Well good morning to you,” he said with a smile.

“Oh, I’m sorry, did I wake you?” Deanna continued to organize the knick-knacks and plants around the living room. Will reached out and wrapped his arms around her waist, she instinctively sighed into his arms.

“Why are you making so much noise so early in the morning?”

Deanna moved out of Will’s embrace, “Don’t tell me you forgot?”

“Of course I didn’t forget,” he said a little too quickly, “Uh, what didn’t I forget exactly?”

“Will!”

“I’m sorry!”

Deanna playfully smacked him with a duster, “Geordi and Worf are coming today.”

“Oh hell,” Will grabbed a nearby watering can and began watering the houseplants, “When are they supposed to get here?”

“Within the hour. You should go shower,”

Will nodded, he finished up his watering and quickly made his way to the shower. On his way he grabbed his toothbrush, realizing he was too distracted by Deanna’s cleaning to brush his teeth right after he woke up. He sighed into the warm water, relishing the scent of the nature surrounding him. He enjoyed a good shower, always helped clear his mind and untense his muscles. He closed his eyes, taking in a deep breath.

“Why is your shower outside?”

Will gave an uncharacteristic yelp at the unfamiliar voice, “Who the hell are you?!”

“My name is Dorian. Why is your shower outside?”

“The house is just built that way,” Will observed the young boy for a moment. He had big brown eyes and curly hair and was rather small, “Uh, there’s another shower inside.”

“Why use this one then?”

“I just enjoy it,” Will quickly turned off the shower and wrapped a towel around himself, suddenly feeling incredibly self-conscious. “Deanna!” he called, “Deanna!” She came out quickly, her hands soapy, a sponge in one hand and a dish in the other.

“What’s wrong?!” she noticed Dorian staring blankly at Will, “Oh, hello.”

Dorian turned towards her and beamed, “Howdy!” Deanna felt immense warmth and joy emanating from the boy but also an inexplicable amount of power. It felt familiar but also new, she couldn’t explain it. Couldn’t quite remember where she had felt such a mysterious power before. He certainly looked human but she was almost certain that he wasn’t. _He’s harmless,_ she decided eventually, _I can say that much for right now._

“Hello, my name is Deanna,” she smiled at him warmly, “I’m sorry about my husband. I hope he wasn’t rude to you at all.”

Will sputtered, “Me?! Rude?! He walked up to me while I was in the shower!”

“Don’t pay any attention to him. What’s your name?”

“Dorian,” he gave her a peculiar stare. His eyes were wide, wider than they naturally were at least, and he had just a hint of a smile on his lips. Deanna couldn’t quite read his expression nor could she sense any emotion from him besides idle curiosity and a hint of amusement. 

“Will, go get dressed. Geordi and Worf will be here any minute,” she placed the sponge in her other hand and wiped her now free hand on her pants before reaching out towards Dorian, “Would you like something to eat?”

“What?!” Will roared, shifting his gaze from Dorian to Deanna. She sensed his apprehension so she gave him a look that told him to trust her. He grumbled but went inside, leaving Deanna to eye Dorian expectantly. 

“Do you have cake?” he asked after a moment.

“I could ask the computer to make some.”

Dorian hummed before latching onto Deanna’s hand happily. “Can it make Romulan bundt cake?” he asked, allowing Deanna to lead him into the house.

“I think so,” she led him to the dining table where he sat down, almost immediately he began staring off into space and although he had just a hint of a smile, his expression was completely unreadable. _I can’t sense his feelings anymore,_ Deanna noted, _he’s definitely not human._ But she didn’t allow this to phase her and, although she had no idea what Dorian was feeling, she could easily tell he had a genuine and open nature. _He’s harmless,_ she reminded herself. She asked the replicator for a Romulan bundt cake and it happily obliged, she cut him a slice and made an effort to put the ceramic plate down noisily. Dorian shook his head slightly and immediately began gobbling spoonfuls of cake. Deanna took the seat across him.

“What are you doing here?”

“I...live by here. I’m your new neighbor.”

“I didn’t realize any houses were added to the area, it’s mostly forest for about a mile radius. Not including the lake, of course. You came a long way just to say hi to a neighbor.”

“I like being friendly,” he shrugged, shoving another big spoonful of cake into his mouth.

“You seem to really enjoy the cake. I’ve never heard of any Romulan baking recipes, where did you try this for the first time?”

“At a friend’s house.”

“Were they--”

“Deanna!” came a familiar chipper voice, “Will!”

“Geordi!” Deanna immediately made her way towards the voice, “You made it! Where’s Worf?”

“I am out here!” came Worf’s gruff voice, “I am stuck!”

Deanna and Geordi made their way back outside to find one of Worf’s legs almost knee-deep in a mud hole.

“Oh, that must be one of Kestra’s moon pools,” she rushed towards him, Geordi by her side, and the two grabbed ahold of Worf, “I thought we filled them all.” The pair gave a good yank and Worf tumbled out, accidentally pushing both Deanna and Geordi onto the floor.

“Everyone okay down there?” Will asked from the upstairs window.

“Commander!” Geordi called instinctively, he scrambled to his feet, waving cheerfully. Worf helped Deanna up and barked a greeting to Will as well. He took a good look around and didn’t fail to notice a curly head of hair bouncing out of view in the window.

“Come inside, let me help you get settled.” Geordi and Worf followed Deanna inside, lugging their duffle bags with them. Will was now waiting for them in the living room and greeted them warmly with a big bear hug. Geordi noticed the boy sitting at the dining table, he was slightly put off by the boy’s expression. It was blank, his eyes wide and his lips curled into the faintest smile. 

“Will,” Geordi put a hand on the man’s shoulder, “who is that?”

“That’s Dorian,” Will answered, a hint of aggravation in his voice.

“I was not aware you had another child,” Worf grumbled.

“We didn’t, he’s our new neighbor,” Deanna looked at Will who rolled his eyes.

“How do you all know each other?” Dorian asked, pushing away the now empty plate.

“We were on the same ship,” Will supplied, “the Enterprise.”

“My mother was on the Enterprise,” they all exchanged glances. Deanna sensed their confusion, their restlessness. She knew the boy was harmless but that face, that expression, it held an intense... _something_ underneath. “Not for very long though,” he continued, “She had to leave.”

Will was the first to ask the question on all their minds, “Who was your mother?”

“Can I have some water?” was all Dorian said, completely ignoring the question. Deanna nodded and got him a glass of water. He smiled as she gave it to him then chugged it all down. They all watched him curiously, Worf and Will clearly more irritated than the other two. Dorian sighed deeply when he was finished, “I should be on my way now. Thank you for the cake and the water.”

“Well, hopefully, we’ll see you again,” Deanna smiled, nudging Will to be polite as well. He mustered up a smile and a wave. Geordi and Worf simply watched him leave.

“Deanna, what the hell was that?” Will asked as soon as the boy left their view.

“I’m not sure,” she shook her head, “But I knew he meant no harm to anyone or anything.”

“I do not trust that boy,” Worf growled.

“Definitely a strange kid,” Geordi added.

Will let out a sigh, “Well, how about you two go get settled and I’ll start cooking lunch, huh?”

“Sounds good to me,” Geordi smiled, “I’m starving.”

“I am very hungry as well.”

“I’ll show you up to your rooms,” Deanna wrapped her arm around Worf’s, pulling him towards the staircase.

“Is Jean-Luc coming?” Geordi asked.

Will nodded, “Tomorrow morning. I finally got in contact with Beverly too, she should be here tomorrow as well, later in the evening.”

“A good ol’ family reunion, eh?” Geordi whistled, “Boy, I’m excited.”

* * *

Picard arrived early the next morning and was greeted by a cheerful Deanna and a drowsy Will. Geordi and Worf were still sleeping away the slight jet lag but there was breakfast waiting for all of them when they woke up. The breakfast was filled with idle chatter and reminiscing. _This is nice_ , Picard thought as he enjoyed Will’s full continental breakfast, complete with fried eggs, bacon, and pancakes. It was more food than Picard was used to in the morning but he ate it nonetheless, savoring this moment with his old friends.

“Have any of you ever heard of Romulan bundt cake?” Deanna asked, getting up and heading to the replicator.

“I didn’t think Romulans baked,” Geordi snorted.

“Actually, I know a couple of very good Romulan bakers,” Picard took a sip of his tea, “Zhaban and Laris.”

“Ah, yes,” Wil smirked, “the Picard staff.”

“Will,” Deanna warned playfully.

“Klingon bundt cake has more flavor,” Worf spoke up finally. Will and Geordi exchanged a look, Will raised his eyebrows in amusement and Geordi shook his head smiling.

“Why do you ask?” Picard turned his attention to Deanna, who was now cutting up slices of cake for each of them.

“Well, our neighbor came by to say hi and he asked if we had any. I had the replicator make him a slice but we didn’t get to try it ourselves,” she placed a plate down in front of each of them.

“I’ve had it many times,” Picard took a small bite of cake, “I actually have a neighbor who really enjoys Romulan bundt cake as well. He comes by the house and helps around the vineyard. Zhaban has been teaching him about Romulan baking techniques.”

“I’ve never even heard of the stuff until today,” Geordi said, picking at the cake with his fork. Worf let out an unintelligible grumble and the group turned towards him, he was practically scarfing the cake down.

“So what are your thoughts on it, Worf? Good?” Will asked with an amused smile.

Worf huffed, “I still think Klingon bundt cake has more flavor.”

Deanna smiled before changing the subject, “Well our new neighbor is certainly an interesting character.”

“That’s one way to put it,” Will snorted.

“Yeah, he gave off some weird vibes,” Geordi’s brow furrowed thoughtfully, “His energy signatures were all off for a normal human.”

“Seems rather interesting to me,” Picard added.

“Deanna, when did you say Beverly was coming?” Will asked as he began grabbing empty plates.

“Beverly is coming?” Picard questioned a little too quickly, he cleared his throat awkwardly, “The last time I talked to you, you told me you couldn’t reach her.”

Will smiled, there was a mischievous glint in his eye that Picard didn’t like, “Well she got back to me after you and I talked, she’s gonna come by today--”

“Sometime in the evening,” Deanna chirped, answering Will’s previous question.

“--Right, thank you. Sometime in the evening. Did I forget to tell you that?”

“You did indeed,” Picard took a tentative sip of his tea, “I think I’m going to go for a walk. Would any of you care to join me?”

“I’d enjoy a nice walk,” Geordi smiled, “I’d love to find a dragon-bell plant, I’ve been told they’re the only way to make a good Risan firedragon tea and that you can find a couple scattered around on Nepenthe.”

“Kestra brings one home every once in a while but they die almost immediately after you pick them,” Deanna noted.

“Only last a couple of minutes,” Will nodded, “let me get a bucket and a trowel and maybe we can bring it home with us.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Geordi smiled brightly. The group took a few moments to clean up a bit, not wanting to leave a mess. _This is nice,_ Picard thought again, _this is what I needed._ He relished these moments, it still made him feel old reminiscing about the past but he was happy. He felt at peace. It was always nice to make new memories with old friends. 

After a change of clothes, the group started on their walk. The sun was bright but not hot, it was warm but the breeze coming in from the lake made the air feel cool. They all noted the beautiful flowers, the woodland creatures scurrying away, the way the sunlight shining through the trees made patterns on the ground, how much better the berries on the bushes tasted when you squeezed the seed out instead of spitting it out after you put the berry in your mouth. They all noted how important this time was, this time they spent with each other.

Unfortunately, no one noticed the curly haired boy staring at them from up in the trees, chipping away at the bark with a knife in one hand and eating a slice of Romulan bundt cake that he held with the other. His expression never described as unnerving, his demeanor always deemed as harmless, but if you looked close enough, if you could see past what he wanted you to see, you’d notice that his wide-eyed expression and the slightest smile that grazed his lips were far more dangerous than you’d expect from a boy who was considered harmless.

But they did not.

* * *

“Deanna!” Beverly called, “Will! Anybody home? I was able to come a bit early. I hope that's okay.” She set her bag down and took a walk around the house, trying to find signs of life within. “Empty,” she sighed, taking a seat on the porch.

“Hello,” came a voice from behind her, making her jump.

“Oh, hello,” she gave the curly headed boy a confused smile, “what are you doing here?”

“I'm the Riker's neighbor. They went out for a walk with some friends. I’m watering the plants.”

“They’re gonna be gone for that long?” she chuckled.

“Oh, no. They have an Anapolis juno plant, it has a very strict watering schedule. Finicky things, they are,” the boy gestured to the door, “Here, I can let you in and you can set your stuff down.”

“Thank you,” she smiled, “What’s your name?”

“Dorian,” he replied, opening the door, “You must be Beverly, right? Beverly Crusher? They were talking about you yesterday.”

“Oh?” Beverly set down her bag, “Thank you for getting the door.”

“Sure thing,” Dorian walked over to a beautiful blue plant that was shaped similarly to Earth’s fern, “There was someone in particular who was rather keen on seeing you again. A Mr. Jean-Luc Picard. You two close?”

Beverly blushed slightly, “Yes, we were very close but we haven’t actually talked in a while.”

“Would you like to smell the plant?” Dorian’s eyes were wide and his expression was blank except for the slight smile that grazed his lips.

“Excuse me?”

“Anapolis juno plants have a particularly sweet scent, it’s known for relaxing the muscles. Risan spas often use it in their message oils.”

“I’m sure it smells lovely but I think I’m gonna sit on the couch and rest.”

“Oh, go on,” he smiled wider, a hint of madness in his eyes that was beginning to frighten Beverly, “Smell the plant.”

“What?”

“Smell the plant, Dr. Crusher.”

“How did you--”

Suddenly Dorian moved towards Beverly, forcing her back onto the couch. He pressed his hand firmly against her shoulder, holding her in place. He brought his other hand up in a fist but left it there in the space between their faces.

“Come now, Dr. Crusher, just a little whiff.”

“No!” Beverly shouted, trying to push against the boy. He was surprisingly strong for being so small. Unnaturally so. For an apparent human, at least.

“No?” Dorian barked out a laugh, “I’m afraid that’s not an option.” Beverly suddenly felt something coarse wrap around her wrists and pull them behind her. “Well, I see you won’t make this easy.” Dorian opened his hand to reveal some of the plant’s blue leaves, he blew on them gently, turning them into a dust that made its way to Beverly’s face and up her nose. Her eyelids almost immediately became heavy, almost impossible to keep open anymore. The last thing she heard was a barely audible “sorry…” as she fell into a deep slumber.

* * *

The first sign that something was wrong was the front door being unlocked.

The second was Beverly tied to a chair in the middle of the living room.

“Beverly!” Picard immediately ran to untie her but something shot past his head, stopping him in his tracks. He turned to see what it was. _A playing card,_ he thought curiously, noting how the card was thrown with enough skill and force to lodge itself into the wall without falling down. He looked towards the rest of the group who were glaring at something past him. He finally looked at the source of the thrown card.

“I’m afraid I can’t let you do that,” Dorian sat at the dining room table, a deck of cards in his hand, “she’s my bargaining chip.”

“Dorian?” Picard questioned, a hint of sorrow in his voice and more than a hint of confusion, “What are you doing here? Did you tie up Beverly?”

“You know this boy?” Worf huffed.

“He’s the boy I was telling you about, the one who works on my vineyard.”

“He’s our new neighbor,” Riker puffed out his chest defensively, “What the hell is going on here?”

“You ran to her rather quickly,” Dorian gave his attention to Picard, “you two are close?”

“What does that matter?” Picard snapped in response.

Dorian smiled, “This human emotion, love, it’s rather interesting.”

“Q,” Deanna said, “I knew I had sensed this power somewhere else.”

Will turned towards her, “Deanna, why didn’t you say anything earlier?”

She shrugged, “Because as far as I could tell he was harmless, I never suspected he would do something like this. There was never any malicious intent behind anything he did.”

“Q!” Picard yelled instinctively, “I see you’ll never stop pestering me!”

“Oh, I’m not the Q you know. He’s--”

“What do you want?” Worf snarled.

“I’ll make this easy for you all, we’ll play a little game. If I win, you have to all agree to do me a little favor. And if you win, I’ll untie your dear Dr. Crusher and go on my merry way, I’ll never bother you again.”

“Dorian, I don’t understand,” Picard moved towards him carefully, “I trusted you, I cared about you. And I thought you reciprocated. Why couldn’t you simply have asked me to help you with whatever you need?”

“You would’ve said no.”

“How are you so sure?” Picard questioned.

“Because you have nothing to gain from it. Why would you put your life at risk to save someone you barely consider a friend?”

“We’re not doing anything for you that involves risking our lives,” Will moved to stand by Picard.

“See!” Dorian threw his hands up, exasperated, “That’s exactly my point! None of you would have agreed to it!”

“Why us?” Will questioned.

“Oh, just cause,” Dorian waved his hand dismissively, “I have a feeling you’re the only ones that can help.”

“Why?” Picard pressed.

“Do you wanna play the game or not? Stop thinking so hard about why! It’ll be fun. It’ll--,” Dorian paused thoughtfully, “Well it’ll be interesting at least.”

“What’s the favor?”

Dorian sighed, “I just need you to help an old friend.”

“Q?” Picard continued to question.

Dorian didn’t answer.

“How do you know we’ll follow through if you win? What if we refuse to help you?”

Dorian simply shrugged.

Picard eyed him carefully, not wanting to believe what was happening. This boy who he had let into his life, who he had shared intimate secrets with. Shared his pain with. Completely betrayed him. _What else should I expect from a Q,_ Picard thought ruefully. He turned towards Will and nodded, Will then turned towards the rest of the group. They all took a moment to look at each other before turning their attention back to Will, all of them nodding as well.

“We’ll play your game, Dorian,” Picard said finally, taking the seat in front of the boy, “What shall we play then?”

“Oh, I won’t be playing against you,” Dorian got up from his chair and walked towards Beverly, he began untying her, “Wakey, wakey, doctor.”

She stirred slightly before finally waking up, she didn’t try to struggle against the rope, seeing her friends behind Dorian.

“Jean-Luc!” she called, “Will! Deanna! What’s happening? Who is this?”

“Don’t worry, Beverly,” Deanna walked to her side, helping Dorian untie her, “You’ll be fine.”

“You should drink some orange juice,” Dorian said, handing her a glass that was not there a moment ago, “It’ll help counteract the effects of the juno plant.”

She took it nervously but didn’t take a sip, she looked towards Deanna for reassurance. Deanna nodded at her, giving her a comforting smile. Beverly took a sip, it was the best orange juice she had ever tasted although she couldn’t quite pin-point why.

“It’s good, right?” Dorian smiled, his demeanor now much more bubbly than it had been, more like the character the rest had first seen, “They’re from the Anapolis orange fields, they started growing them by the acre after the Federation introduced it to them. They don’t have many natural citrus fruits on the planet.” He held out his hand expectantly. Once again Beverly turned towards Deanna for reassurance, Deanna nodded again before Beverly took Dorian’s hand. He helped her up and led her to the dining table. She sat down, Dorian standing at the head of the table.

“You know what would really help? Romulan bundt cake, I think that could--” Dorian was cut off by a low growl coming from Worf, “...nevermind.”

 _Well, it wasn’t all an act then,_ Picard noted, “What are we going to play then?”

“I heard you are all quite the poker players,” Dorian grabbed the deck of cards, “An interesting game.”

“We’re going to play poker?” Picard questioned.

“Sort of,” Dorian shuffled the cards expertly, “We’ll be playing a variation, choice poker. Beverly will be playing for me, and you may choose anyone to play for you. I suggest you choose wisely.”

“Will,” Picard said almost immediately, “Would you like to play?”

Will smiled, taking the seat as Picard stood up to stand with the group, “I’d be happy to.”

“I don’t understand,” Beverly twiddled her thumbs nervously, “What is happening? Why are we playing poker?”

“Dorian propositioned us,” Will answered, “If I win, he’ll let you go. If you win, we owe him a favor.”

Beverly laughed bitterly, “And I’m playing for him? What if I just let Will win?”

Dorian shrugged, “Choice poker is a bigger game of chance than normal poker. A win is never guaranteed, even with strategy.”

“And if I refuse to play? Or play poorly on purpose?”

Dorian thought for a moment, “I guess I could tie you back up.”

“Why can’t you play for yourself?”

“Unfortunately, I don’t quite have these powers handled well yet. There's no guarantee I won’t subconsciously rig the game so I win.”

“What do you mean--” Picard started.

“No more questions! Beverly, Will, are you ready to hear the rules?”

“Beverly,” Will’s voice was soft but firm, “Play your best.”

Beverly sighed but nodded.

Dorian shuffled the cards again, “Choice poker is essentially the same as regular poker but with a twist,” he smiled wickedly, “Whoever of the players bets the most gets to make a choice.” Dorian set the cards down and pulled out two sets of hands, “You can either choose the stronger or the weaker.” He crossed his arms in front of him, deliberately setting his elbows down on the table. A hand in each hand. “If you choose stronger,” he turned the cards in his left hand around, fanning them to show a full house, “whoever has the stronger hand wins. But if you choose weaker,” he turned the cards in his other hand, fanning them to reveal two sets of a 2 and 7 pair, “whoever has the weaker hand wins.” Dorian puts the cards back into the deck and shuffled them around again, “Each player is dealt five cards and allowed to exchange any number of cards once.” Dorian set the cards down and ran his hand above the table, suddenly a small set of poker chips appeared. Dorian put his hands together and set them between the chips, dividing them evenly. He pushed the chips towards each player. “Players are only allowed to bet and raise, you can call when you no longer want to bet more but you are not able to fold. Remember, the player who bets the most gets to choose but you are only able to bet from the chips given to you or won during a game so bet wisely as a win is not guaranteed. Any player with no chips automatically loses their choice. We will play best out of three,” Dorian smiled, “Are you ready to play?”

“Yes.”

“Ready.”

“Good,” Dorian snapped both his fingers and suddenly he was wearing a white button down with a black tie and a red velvet vest. There was no white flash, just a sudden change of clothes. He began dealing the cards, “I will act as dealer. Although I have a stake in this, I’m completely unbiased. I’m really just curious to see how this game plays out.”

Worf snorted and Deanna smacked his arm gently.

Will looked at his cards, two pairs and a queen. A decent hand. He looked at Beverly. It may have been a while since they had played together but he was glad to see that he was still able to read the intricacies in her expression. The slight twitch in her mouth as she tried to keep her expression neutral, the way her brow furrowed just slightly, unnoticeable to someone who wasn’t looking for it, the way her eyes lost just a hint of their brightness. He couldn’t explain the last one but he knew it when he saw it. 

_She has a bad hand,_ he smiled inwardly before he momentarily panicked, _But I have to get the choice or else she’ll choose the weaker hand and win._

“I bet ten,” Will said finally.

“I bet ten and raise twenty.”

“I bet twenty and raise another ten.”

Beverly sighed, they didn't have many chips to use, “I bet your ten and raise fifty.”

Will whistled, _I need to get the choice,_ he thought, “I bet fifty and raise another twenty.”

Beverly looked at her hands then back at Will, she slumped in her chair, “I call.”

“I call as well.”

“Will has bet a total of 110 and Beverly a total of 90. Are you sure you both call?”

“Yes.”

“Yes.”

“The choice is yours, Will.”

“I choose the stronger hand.”

“Will has chosen the stronger hand. Show your hands.” Will set his hand down first, “Will has two pairs and a queen.” Beverly set her hand down, smirking, “Beverly has four of a kind. Beverly has the stronger hand and thus wins this round.”

“What?” Will looked up at Beverly, he was impressed but surprised, “You sure had me fooled. I was sure you had the weaker hand.”

“Ah, she tricked you,” Dorian pursed his lips thoughtfully, “how fascinating. On to round two then.”

“You didn’t do this on purpose did you?” Worf barked.

“I couldn’t even if I wanted to, I have no idea how.”

“Aren’t you a Q?” Picard questioned.

Dorian sighed, shuffling the cards again, “Yes but not a very good one.”

“But you could subconsciously.”

“I could theoretically switch up the cards but there’s a reason I decided we should play choice poker. No matter what hand you have, you have the possibility to win. My subconsciously giving either of them a certain hand doesn’t affect the outcome because I can not change their expressions or decide who will ultimately bet the most.”

“But--”

“On to round two!”

Dorian dealt the cards. Riker looked at his cards, just a pair, the rest were duds. _Maybe I can exchange one of my cards,_ he realized.

“I’ll exchange a card,” Riker handed Dorian a card and Dorian dealt him another card.

“Beverly, you bet first then.”

“I bet thirty.”

“I bet your thirty and raise ten.”

“I bet ten and raise ten.”

Will sighed, he couldn’t trust that he could read Beverly as easily as he thought and he wondered if she could read him. _I should do what she did, make it seem like I have a bad hand and then let her choose,_ he thought, _But she could see through that._ He groaned inwardly, this was much harder than regular poker. He decided to keep a poker face, he always had the best one next to Data.

“I bet another ten and raise ten.”

Beverly had a hint of a smile, “I bet your ten and raise ten.”

Will smiled inwardly. _Ah,_ he thought, _she can read me._ “I call.”

“I call.”

“Will has bet a total of 60 and Beverly a total of 70. Are you sure you both call?”

“Yes.”

“Yes.”

“The choice is yours Beverly.”

“I choose the stronger hand.”

“Beverly has chosen the stronger hand. Show your hands.” Will set his hand down first, “Will has three of a kind.” Beverly set her hand down, “Beverly has a pair. Will has the stronger hand and thus wins this round.”

“Damn! You looked disappointed. I thought I had you for a second.”

Will smiled sadly, “I just happened to be thinking about Data.”

“We are at a tie. The third and final round will determine the victor,” Dorian smiled, “Well this is rather exciting. I wonder who will win,” Dorian turned his attention to Picard, “If I lose can I have just one last slice of cake before I leave?”

“No,” Picard replied with a straight-face.

“How rude,” Dorian shuffled the cards, “On to the third and final round.”

He dealt the cards for the last time. Will looked at his cards, a flush. Another decent hand. This was going to be difficult to play out. That last round was just luck and a misinterpretation of his facial expression from Beverly. _She has more chips than me, she could easily make the choice but the question of course is what choice will she make. A wrong choice could easily mean she loses. I have to be able to get her to make the wrong choice. But I have no idea what that is._

“I bet fifty,” Will said after a moment.

“I bet your fifty and raise twenty.”

“I bet your twenty and raise ten.”

Beverly, looked at her cards and then at Will and then at Dorian, “I’d like to exchange a card.”

Dorian shuffled the cards and handed Beverly a new card, “Will, would you like to bet again?”

“No.”

“Beverly, it’s your bet.”

“I bet your ten and raise ten.”

Will smiled, _I’ll make her think I have a good hand. Maybe she’ll pick the weaker hand and I’ll win._

“I bet your ten and raise fifty.”

Beverly sighed, “I’m all in.”

“With Beverly being all in, Will does not have the chip’s necessary to bet more. The choice is hers.”

Beverly smirked. “That was a hefty bet, Will. I know you are trying to make it seem like you have a better hand. But that’s not possible,” Beverly set down her hand, showing her cards, “I have a royal flush.” Beverly turned to Dorian who was watching her curiously, “I can win this easily but I could also choose the weaker hand and lose.” Dorian shrugged. “What’s the favor?”

“I need you to help an old friend.”

“It’s Q, isn’t it?” Picard questioned.

Dorian didn’t take his eyes off Beverly, “What’s your choice, Dr. Crusher?”

Beverly observed Dorian, his hands were folded in front of him and his expression was blank, he simply watched her. He really did seem unbiased, unbothered by the outcome of this game.

“I choose the stronger hand.”

“Beverly has chosen the stronger hand, with a royal flush she is the winner of this round. And with a win of two to one, she is the winner.”

“You win,” Will sighed, tossing his cards onto the table, “Now what?”

Dorian smiled and gestured with his head for them to follow him. He led them outside. 

They were all taken aback the second they had walked onto the porch.

“Is that..” Geordi started but he was unable to find words, “My god.”

“1701-D,” Picard read as he walked towards the shuttle. The rest followed behind him. They all instinctively put their hands on it, feeling if it was real. 

“Is this real?” Picard asked, not quite believing it as he ran his hand across the outer hull.

“Sort of,” Dorian rubbed the back of his head, “I tried my best based on the description I was given but the real surprise is up there,” Dorian pointed up at the sky. The door to the shuttle opened.

“The Enterprise?” Geordi asked, feeling giddy at the thought of being back on that ship. Hell, they all were.

Dorian simply smiled then took a step onto the shuttle, he let out a deep breath, placing his hands on his hips as he observed his handwork. “So,” he turned towards the group, smiling a little bit wider, “who wants to drive?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Q coming back in the next chapter! I wanted to put each arc in a chapter but I might just split it up into a regular posting schedule so it doesn't take weeks for me to post.


End file.
